Nightingales Nests

ingredients

• SYRUP
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 cup water
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons orange flower water
• FILLING
• 1/2 cup finely chopped blanched almonds (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped unsalted pistachios (about 1/3 cup)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• PASTRIES
• 12 sheets fresh phyllo pastry or frozen, thawed
• 3/4 cup ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
  1 cup whipped butter
  3/4 cup hydrogenated fat
  3/4 cup margarine
  1/2 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped unsalted pistachios (about 1/3 cup)

directions

FOR SYRUP: Combine sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice and boil until mixture is syrupy, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 2 teaspoons orange flower water.

FOR FILLING: Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. (Syrup and filling can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover separately and store at room temperature.)

FOR PASTRIES: Cover phyllo with dry towel, then damp towel. Let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 2 large baking sheets. Place 1 phyllo sheet with long side parallel to edge of work surface, keep remaining phyllo sheets under towels. Brush half of phyllo lengthwise with butter. Fold in half lengthwise. Brush phyllo with butter. Sprinkle 4 teaspoons and mixture in narrow strip 0.5 inch from folded edge of pastry, leaving 0.5 inch border at short ends. Fold long 0.5 inch border over filling. Fold short ends over filling, then roll up lengthwise as for jelly roll, leaving 2 inches of unfilled pastry exposed. Starting from 1 short end, roll pastry loosely as for jelly roll. Tuck 2 inch pastry edge under and toward center, forming bottom of nest and flattening slightly. Place bottom side down on prepared sheet. Repeat filling and rolling with remaining phyllo sheets.

Bake pastries until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Cool pastries on baking sheets on racks 5 minutes. Using metal spatula, loosen pastries from sheets. Drizzle each pastry with 1 tablespoon syrup. Cool completely. (Pastries can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover with foil and store at room temperature.)

Arrange pastries on plates. Sprinkle each with 2 teaspoons pistachios. Drizzle with remaining syrup.